How to say "hug" in Japanese

• 抱くいだくJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers the physical sense of hugging or holding someone in one's arms, as with a child. Formal or literary in tone compared with だく.
  その子供こどもは母親ははおやの腕うでの中なかに抱いだかれて安心あんしんした。↗

  That child felt secure in his mother's arms.
• 抱くだくCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbThe everyday verb for hugging someone or holding them in your arms, as with a baby. This is usually the word you want for the plain physical act.
• 擁するようするCommon
  suru verb (irregular), transitive verbGlossed as 'to embrace', but in practice seldom the word you want for an everyday hug; it is best treated as a formal, marginal equivalent and avoided for physical hugging.
• 抱擁ほうようCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbA noun meaning an embrace or hug, not a verb. Use it for 'a hug' as a thing, as in giving someone a warm embrace, rather than for the act itself.

「抱く」（だく） is the everyday verb for physically hugging; 「抱く」（いだく） is its formal or literary counterpart; 抱擁 is the noun 'an embrace'; 「擁する」 is rarely the word for an actual hug.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 抱くいだくto hold in one's arms (e.g. a baby)
• 抱くだくto hold in one's arms (e.g. a baby)
• 擁するようするto embrace
• 抱擁ほうようembrace
• ハグhug
• 震い付くふるいつくto hug (unintentionally, unable to suppress one's emotions)
• かき抱くかきいだくto hug
• ムギュウsqueezing
• 相擁あいようembrace
• すがりつくto cling to
• ぎゅうhug